March 28, 2014 Coats Museum NewsHave you ever been to a reunion-school, military, or family? One thing for sure is, if one is an Ennis, there have been ample opportunities to attend a family one. Such was the case in 1948. Thurman Ennis had invited the Ennis family to the July 18th reunion at Primitive Zion Church. What number is this that the family has met?I do know that Mrs. J.C. Hardee hosted the Turlington HD Club. Mrs. Jeff Turlington, Mrs. Stuart Turlington and Mrs. James Robertson assisted in the event. Miss Norma Jean Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wood, had spent six weeks with relatives in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. (Dunn Dispatch July 14, 1948).Do any of you recall reading the museum news of the 1920’s when I wrote that the Parlia Wood family had all those visitors from the North who came to the area on their “touring cars”? Many of the folks in this area were riding in wagons, buggies or carriages back then. Wonder if the folks that Norma Jean went to visit were some of that family? Was she a farm girl? Most farm children would have been needed to help on the farm during the summer months-right?One thing for sure is that the farmers likely welcomed the showers that had come to the area in July. Some of the locals might have taken a break to honor the life of J.T. Pollard, 73, who had died at his home after about a 6-month illness. He was a member of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church. The former business and civic leader owned a garage. His wife was the former Smithie Turlington (Dunn Dispatch July 16, 1948).Coats School had a new Home Economics teacher. Miss Geraldine Cobb of Dunn had replaced Mrs. White (Dunn Dispatch July 21, 1948). Does anyone remember what Miss Cobb looked like? Why did Mrs. White leave? Did Mr. White leave also? Remember all the activities that the couple had parents and students doing while they worked with the ag and home economics students –boxing matches, duck races, and baby contests? Was M.O. Phillips still in the Vocational Ag Department?Mr. and Mrs. Hassie C. Stephenson of Coats announced the birth and death of a son at Fleming’s Clinic. A twin sister survived him as did two other twin sisters-Jackie and Shelby Stephenson. Two brothers who survived him were Gordan and Bobby Gerald Stephenson. The paternal grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Willie Stephenson and maternal grandparents were Sam Gordan of Coats and Mrs. Arthur Gordan of Micro, N.C. (Dunn Dispatch July 23, 1948).Mrs. Carlos Stewart honored Margaret House with a stork shower. Food inside and games outside were enjoyed by 35 guests. Each plate had a spray of sweet peas (Dunn Dispatch July 28, 1948). Was Mr. Carlos Stewart alive? My father owned a saw mill and cotton gin before I was born. Dad was always sharing stories about events and people in the area. I want to recall that he said that Mr. Carlos had lost his arm in a gin accident in South Carolina while working on a gin. Does anyone know if that was so?Does anyone remember when Dunn had colorful Harvest Festivals? The paper printed that the “colorful Harvest Festival of Dunn” was cancelled due to the threat of polio (Dunn Dispatch July 30, 1948).Mr. and Mrs. Otha Penny of Route One, Benson announced the birth of a son in Dunn Hospital. Mrs. Penny was the former Miss Lucille Harper (Dunn Dispatch August 2, 1948).Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Darnell Jones announced the birth of a son, Donald Wayne, on July 27th at the hospital in Coats. Mrs. Jones was the former Lena Moore of Dunn (Dunn Dispatch August 6, 1948). Did Coats have a hospital or was it the Fleming Clinic? Did Dr. Roberts have a clinic in the basement of his house which was across the street from the museum?Miss Pauline Allen of Lillington and Maylon Denning of Coats announced that they would marry at the residence of Rev. Sam Stephens. Mr. Denning was manager of Stephens Hardware in Coats. Mrs. Clyde Johnson and Mrs. Paul Murray entertained at a stork shower for Mrs. Clayton Turner. Ladies from the Turlington Crossroads area who attended the shower were Misses Eva, Margaret, and Oene Johnson, Mrs. D.C. Turner, Mrs. Merwin Turner, Mrs. Fayette Stogsdill, Mrs. W.M. Johnson, Mrs. Alma Parker, Mrs. John Wolf, Mrs. Lyman Sheppard, Mrs. T.D. Stewart (Mary), Mrs. Kirby Manning, Mrs. Buck Pope, Mrs. Anna Johnson, Mrs. Margaret Cooke, Mrs. Melvin Denning, Mrs. L.W. Turner, Sr., and Miss Dora Downing.More news from that area recorded that several houses had been built in the Turlington Crossroads area in the past 2 or 3 years. The new owners were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Blake, Mr. and Mrs. Merwin Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Buck Pope, Mr. and Mrs. Kermit Turner, Mr. and Mrs. D. Parker, Mr. and Mrs. Graham, Mr. and Mrs. Fish, Mr. and Mrs. Darius Ennis, and Mr. and Mrs. Warren. The business place of Mr. Clyde Tart was nearing completion. (Was this Clyde’s Grill?)Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Sheppard had occupied the home of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Johnson, Jr. while Mr. Johnson was in the U.S. Army. Mr. Edmund B. Nichols married Miss Joyce Dawn Cissel of Washington, D.C. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Nichols of Coats (Dunn Dispatch August 13, 1948). You might find it interesting to know that it would have cost a Trailways bus passenger $10. 35 for a round trip to Washington, D.C. . Did anyone of you recognize the name of Edmund Nichols as a football player at Campbell College?The folks at the Coats Museum are excited about planning our May military event. We are beginning to change out some of our 38 exhibits making room to honor our veterans from the forgotten Korean War through the current American involvements overseas. If any of our area veterans from those wars want to loan items for display, drop by the museum on a Monday or Wednesday from 9-3pm and talk to the volunteers about what you have.Something that the museum volunteers observe is when visitors get out of their vehicles and walk up to the museum, they always appear to be reading the names on the bricks on the “Walk Of Ages”. The bricks share so much of the history of the people in the area. The names of families, club leadership, recognitions from various civic groups and schools, school classes, businesses, politicians, memorials and much more can be found by reading the brick. Many visitors have expressed an interest in adding a brick to the sidewalks. It is important for them to act on that now because the museum is going to close out the brick order on June 21, 2014. We also invite everyone to go to our website-coatsmuseum.com to view the video of the bricks and wall plaques from our first order. You can contact the museum on Monday or Wednesday for more information.